Mike Smith made 33 saves for his second shutout of the season, Stephane Veilleux extended his goal scoring streak to three games and Kirby Law tallied a goal and an assist as the Houston Aeros returned from a 13-day break with a workmanlike 2-0 win over the Norfolk Admirals at Toyota Center on Thursday night.
The Aeros improved to 2-2-1-0 on a season-long eight-game homestand that continues Saturday versus Norfolk.
Michael Leighton turned aside 32 shots for Norfolk, which fell to 1-5-0-0 in its last six. The Admirals were beginning a four-game Texas road trip.
Veilleux nearly scored with 6:30 remaining in the first, but his shot hit off the post. He avenged that miss with his team-best 10th of the season with 3:13 left. The goal was Veilleux’s fourth in the last three games.
The Admirals swung the momentum in their way in the second, outshooting Houston 14-3, but couldn’t get on the board.
Smith, who snapped a career-long-tying three-game losing streak, stopped all 13 shots sent his way in the third, and 27 total over the final 40 minutes.
Law gave him all the insurance he’d need with 4:36 left in the game, with his sixth of the season.
Houston had been off since Dec. 3, and hadn’t won since Nov. 28.
